The first book in the landmark Cazalet Chronicles, previously a BBC radio and TV series. With the onset of war, The Light Years reveals a privileged family facing uncertain times. Now reissued with a fresh cover look.Elegantly constructed and told with exceptional grace, The Light Years is Elizabeth Jane Howard's modern classic of English life and the beginning of an extraordinary family saga.Every summer, the Cazalet brothers, Hugh, Edward and Rupert, return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two blissful months of picnics and childish games. But despite the idyllic setting, nothing can be done to soothe the siblings' heartache: Hugh is haunted by the ravages of war, Edward by his latest infidelity and Rupert by his inability to please his demanding wife. Meanwhile, Rachel risks losing her only chance at happiness because of her unflinching loyalty to the family.Howard's beautiful saga is the story of three generations of the Cazalet family: their relatives, their children and their servants - and the fascinating triangle of their affairs.The Cazalet Chronicles is Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling five-part series: The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off, and All Change."Elizabeth Jane Howard is one of those novelists who shows, through her work, what the novel is for... She helps us to do the necessary thing - open our eyes and our hearts." Hilary Mantel